Can you see him?
On a stroll down a United Kingdom beach this past September, Drustan Ward stopped short when he noticed a pair of eyes peeking out from a rock pool.
Unsure whether or not the animal might be stranded, Ward snapped a picture and sent it to experts at British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).
BDMLR staff members examined the photo and blinked a few times. Though the seal pictured was obvious to Ward, once captured on camera, he became a bit more difficult to see.
“This curious little fella took us a minute to find,” BDMLR wrote in a Facebook post about the event. “Though when you see this one, he’s quite obvious!”
It’s a good thing this seal is hard to spot. It means his natural camouflage is doing its job.
“Like for other animals, seal camouflage is designed to allow them to blend into their environment and hide them from predators,” a representative from BDMLR told The Dodo. “Different seals have different camouflage depending on their environment.”
Experts weren’t alarmed to see the seal in a rock pool. According to BDMLR, it’s common to find seals in these areas, as the animals like using them to keep cool or find food. However, in some cases, they can prove dangerous.
“Though it is rare, some seals can become entrapped in rock pools if the rocks creating the pool’s boundaries are too high for them to climb over,” the representative said. “In cases like this, it may mean monitoring the seal until the next high tide, where the seal will then be able to swim back out as the pools refill with water, increasing water levels.”
BDMLR staff conducted a visual assessment and sent volunteer marine mammal medic Lizzi Larbalestier to make sure the seal was OK. Larbalestier was glad to notice that the seal wasn’t in any trouble at all.
“[I]t was determined that this seal was happy and healthy,” the representative said. “The rock pool also showed easy access, meaning the seal could come and go as they pleased, removing the concern that the seal could be stuck.”
Marine experts hope this story serves as a reminder that seals don’t primarily live in the sea. They spend much of their time on land while resting, digesting their food, and sometimes while giving birth.
Gimme shelter 🎵 🦭 🥶 The weather has turned for us in the UK and we’re all looking for shelter, including our…Posted by
If everyone keeps a respectful distance from these animals, seals like this hidden fella will be able to live their lives in peace.